Washington. May 1
Col. Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy. yesterday at his press conference said he would try to visit the Fleet at Honolulu this spring and revealed that the Navy was abandoning annual manœuvres because it is constantly menasuvring.
Asked whether the Fleet would remain in Honolulu, Col. Knox said he could. not comment on ship movements. He also declined to comment on whether any transfers would be made to the Atlantic Fleet from the Pacific Fleet.
Col. Knox said the entire Atlantic Fleet was now engaged in patrol duty and declined to comment on whether new units, as completed, would be added to the Atlantic or Pacific Fleets.
No combat vessels at present were available for transfer to Britain, Col. Knox said, but high speed mosquito boats will be transferred as rapiüly they are completed.
The Fleet supply train was being built up in coordination with the Fleet itself, Col. Knox said. Numerous merchant ships have been acquired in recent weeks and were being rapidly converted into auxiliary supply vessels, he said.
1f war should tome to the United States, the Navy would take over a large number of merchant ships for use as transports, Col. Knox said. However, pending extreme developments, the Navy now is satisfactorily equipped with supply vessels.
Col. Knox announced that 45 categories of organized naval reservists, consisting of 230 officers and 4,660 men, will be ordered to active duty between May 5 and May 30. Most of them will be assigned to auxiliary ships—United Press.
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